Writings about writing, messy life stuff, and boisterous insecurities.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

IWSG - Writing Through A Funk - Depression Just Happens

It's the first Wednesday of the month. Time for Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group Post! Click here to join!I just finished writing a response to an article by Zadie Smith comparing nineteenth century philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer's, On the Suffering of the World to modern films like Kaufman's Anomalisa and Being John Malcovich. This put me in a bad mood for days. On an even more depressing note, Shopenhauer states it's cool to commit suicide to relieve yourself of suffering. He hated his mother, pushed his land lady down the stairs, and made me want to change my philosophy major to anything else after writing my senior thesis on his work, World As Will and Representation.The two volume work literally said I would never find enlightenment due to their use as a ladder and my own will. (insert raspberry noise here)My friends asked what the hell was wrong with me, and I tried to refocus. I do a few things to snap out of a funk. From my pre-teen years on I have kept notebooks filled with poems, diatribes, and more petty than political observations. Now, that I'm an adult with major responsibilites I watch Lumpy Space Princess.

When I'm stuck with an injury and can't do cardio, or if I feel overwhelmed by my academic and work life, I'm prone to stagnate. Yet, when I do manage to get work done it tends to be my best stuff. I write tops when I'm relieving tension. Committing to good writing habits can help ensure you are able to make something beautiful out of the terrible crap you're dealing with. I try to write first thing in the morning, before I have time to think too hard and brood. What are your strategies?

Thanks Chrys. There are books I reread to cheer me up, too. I'm not really morning person either. I read that Anthony Bordaine writes before he does anything else over his first cup of coffee. I tried it and it worked.

Well, you could give in to the funk and write something snarky, sad and obnoxious - and then have a really good laugh at yourself. I did that once, set out to write an unhappy, tragic, chapter. I was so terribly bummed out, don'tcha know?

I ended up getting the giggles, which cleared my head and focussed me.

Wow! I'm truly in awe of you! Other people call it depression but others see it as inspiration. Take a "mental health day" and carry on. We love you! First take care of yourself cause u can't help others if ure not right first. Keep on keeping on.

I listen to Stephen Moccio and Sade or someone else whose music is gentle and kind. Or I meditate. I love meditate and don't do it enough. My spirit loves the quietness and always brings me back to a calm state. Okay, not always, but generally. I do suffer from deep depression, and if it's a particular bad bout, I sleep. Sleep and meditation. I have to say Moccio's piano interludes always make my spirit light.

Music helps me too. I've always knew I was different in a sense that I felt funny sometimes. Still, I can pick up a guitar for a few hours or stay in bed with a biography on Sidonie Collette (I collect books on her fabulous life) and feel better.Now I got this great artist community, and I don't feel at all different. Ha.